These are days of boundless enthusiasm across the NBA, where the opening of training camp is accompanied by visions of greatness that has yet to turn into delusions of grandeur for 30 franchises.

The difference between the Raptors and the other contenders and pretenders is the level of excitement that goes with today's official opening of the 2008-09 season.

They are talking great, not good, expecting success unrivalled in the franchise's 14-year-history, the optimism based on the arrival of a new big man and the natural maturation process of a roster now dotted with experience rather than question marks.

"Me, Chris Bosh and Jose (Calderon) sat down after the scrimmage (last week) and it was like, 'Man, we have a real shot here,' " newcomer Jermaine O'Neal said. "We've got a real shot.

"Obviously, we have the talent on paper and if we mentally believe that and bring that swagger every day, that we're the best team on the floor every time we step on the floor, we've got a shot at doing some great things this year."

O'Neal is certainly to be at the centre of any resurgence of the Raptors, who've bowed out of the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Turning 30 during training camp, he's been impressive in informal workouts and scrimmages over the last week, according to teammates and coaches. He brings experience – albeit having missed most of two seasons with knee woes – and a steadying force under the basket.

"Watching the guys work out, it's just amazing how much more confidence they have, having Jermaine O'Neal back there," said coach Sam Mitchell. "I'm telling you man, just watching them work out, he was blocking shots and talking.

"The thing I love about him, not one time has he talked about 'Give me the ball.' All he's talked about is playing defence and rebounding."

O'Neal, obtained for T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic and a draft pick in a blockbuster July trade, concedes that he's never had a frontcourt teammate with Bosh's skills and said it will take some getting used to. Both have been the leading scorers on their teams for years, both are going to have to make some kind of sacrifice.

"We just have to remind ourselves – because we've never been in a situation like this, where we've had so much help and had somebody to really depend on every night – that this is for a greater cause," said O'Neal. "It's about winning. At the end of the day, if I score two points and we won and I got 10 rebounds and two blocks, that's great to me.

"I didn't make the playoffs the last two years, had two really tough years physically and mentally, it doesn't really matter. The personal accomplishments don't matter. I understand what I need to do for this team to be successful and sometimes they're not going to need me to score. They need me to bring the defensive presence."

The pre-season officially begins at the Air Canada Centre today with a two-hour media session. After a quick flight to Ottawa and a team dinner tonight, they hit the court at Carleton University tomorrow for the first of three days of two-a-day workouts. There is one session Friday and an intrasquad scrimmage before the Raptors head back home and the pre-season games begin a week Tuesday in Cleveland with a home game the next night against New York.

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